


Placeholder

by dirthara_mama



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Drama & Romance, F/M, Long-Distance Relationship, Lust at First Sight, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-08 12:02:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15242976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dirthara_mama/pseuds/dirthara_mama
Summary: Watcher Arinnia has traded a life of adventure for a life of civility. She misses her friends, especially a particular elven wizard.But an encounter with Adaryc Cendamyr may just be the solution to her sudden monotonous lifestyle.





	1. The Thrill of It All - 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Watcher Arinnia has traded a life of adventure for a life of civility. She misses her friends, especially a particular elven wizard.
> 
> But an encounter with Adaryc Cendamyr may just be the solution to her sudden monotonous lifestyle.

_‘Lady Arinnia Iorwerth, I’ve been tasked with brokering new trade terms with the northeastern Dyrwood (with supervision, of course). It seems the Morning Council want me off their backside. Since you remain the only noble in the area, I must hop onto yours. I’ve known you to be rational and kind, so I’m sure we can come up with something to please both our peoples. For the time being, I wish only to discuss arrangements for Stalwart. Perhaps if it goes well, we can expand upon the new relationship, with your erl’s permission. If it’s amenable to you, I’ll ride for Caed Nua in one month’s time with a company of nine men._  
  
Looking forward to catching up, Commander Adaryc Cendamyr’  
  
The Watcher reached up to adjust one of her earrings, a nervous habit. Around her, the great hall buzzed with life as the entire keep prepared to welcome their foreign guests. Arinnia sat at a table by the door, elbows propped on wood as she scanned the page once more. Again, she adjusted the bar running along the flat of her pointed ear. She had handled delegations - and worse - before. But it had been some time, and now she was alone. At least it wouldn't be apocalyptic.  
  
What worried her more were the letter’s innuendos. Between the words forming in Adaryc Cendamyr’s mind, to their transference to paper, to the Lady of Caed Nua’s eyes scanning the page, the meaning must have gotten muddled. Arinnia had assumed Readcerans to be a stuffy people, but she could swear the Commander was flirting with her. The Watcher sighed into her wine glass. Maybe it was in her head.  
  
Adaryc had grown into something of a friend. They had corresponded about the unique nature of their abilities after meeting. Even if they were just about work or souls, Adaryc’s letters were something to look forward to. Especially after her friends had moved on with their lives. Letters from them were few in the last two years, with the exception of Eder; Dyrford’s new mayor wrote and visited often.  
  
For a time, Arinnia had received letters from the one companion she thought would be her friend for life. But Aloth Corfiser’s letters were always vague and came at irregular intervals, even if he still wrote to her with fondness. Eventually they stopped coming at all. She never knew where he was, so replying was impossible. Such was the nature of his work; she knew taking down the Leaden Key would not be an easy task, nor a quick one. Still, Arinnia frequently wondered about the thoughtful wizard she had grown to care for, and on the rare occasions she prayed to Galawain, she prayed for Aloth’s hunt to go well.  
  
“M’lady,” a thick Dyrwoodan accent startled Arinnia from her thoughts. When did she get so jumpy? She had been away from a good adventure for too long. The elf turned to the voice’s source to find Bryda, her dwarven assistant standing over her shoulder. Or rather, equal to it. Bryda’s sun-beaten cheeks rose with an amused smile, and Vela chewed on a sweet roll with one hand and used the other to hang onto the dwarf’s shirttail. “I’m sorry, M’lady. Just wanted to tell you, the Readcerans are approachin’ the gate. Should be in anytime now.”  
  
Arinnia shook her head as she pulled herself up from the table. “Thanks, Bryda. How do I look?” The Watcher smoothed her corseted scarlet dress before her hands shot up to her hair. She chose to wear her curls free, the dense brown mass hanging just past her shoulders.  
  
The dwarf looked her over with a bright expression. “M’lady, you’re fine. Though I can’t say I’ve seen you in a long dress before. Who cares what these western fools think anyway?” The orlan child, now nearly prepubescent, nodded in agreement.  
  
Arinnia leaned over to ruffle Vela’s light brown hair, before straightening her own tiny dress. She never claimed to be Vela’s new mother, more like a guardian. Though she already had a taste for wine, the orlan was well-loved at Caed Nua. “Thank you, both! I haven’t worn it in awhile. But it’ll have to do.”  
  
They crossed the hall to stand by the throne. Candles were already lit, food was being placed on the tables, and the residents of Caed Nua were filing in.  
  
“Lady Arinnia, I am ready when you are,” the Steward’s voice rang from the carved adra.  
  
Arinnia remained standing. “Steward, you know this is difficult enough without my sitting on a throne.” Seizing the opportunity, Vela climbed up into the Steward’s lap, giggling and looking smug. The adra-encased soul sighed, soft but annoyed.  
  
The doors parted, and Arinnia felt a wave of energy overtake her senses. She fought against it with some success, but still the edges of her vision felt hazy, her senses heightened.  
  
In stepped a company of ten armor-clad men, capes displaying the flag of Readceras. One stepped forward from the center, and Arinnia easily recognized him as Adaryc Cendamyr. He was tall, and even in armor, it was easy to recognize the bulk he carried from years of military experience. His hair was cropped short on the sides, and it looked as if someone had tried to style back the length on top, but his wavy texture denied the hard work. Stubble covered the lower half of his face, and his smile was friendlier than Arinnia remembered.  
  
“Thank you for having us, My Lady.” The Commander bent at the waist, maintaining practiced eye contact.  
  
Arinnia returned his grin. “Adaryc, are we not friends by now? These pleasantries are so unnecessary.” She lifted her skirt to step down from the throne area and stopped a few feet away from the soldier. Had he always been tall enough to tower over her? She must have been too distracted to notice. Her artificial confidence returned. “Please, tell your men to sit and relax! Caed Nua welcomes you, and you’re free to make yourselves at home this week.”  
  
A small round of cheers sounded through the hall. The uptick in noise was enough for Arinnia to gesture Adaryc closer. He obeyed and leaned down to better hear her.  
  
“Will you join me at my table? You said you wanted to catch up.” The closeness of his ear to her lips sent a flutter through her abdomen. Arinnia was surprised by how handsome he was, now that they weren’t facing a crisis.  
  
He turned his head, rising only slightly. “I’d be honored.” His green eyes filled with mischief as he looked over her face. Arinnia licked her lips, an involuntary allusion to her attraction, and Adaryc's gaze followed the movement.  
  
Then he stood to his full height, arm extended. Arinnia hesitated for a beat. It was only an act of civility, not an invitation for anything else. But these thoughts, her racing mind, caused the flutter she had just felt to sink into something heavy. She had hoped for so long for one thing, and now this outstretched arm potentially offered her something else. If nothing else, a reprieve from boredom.  
  
She reached for the crook of his elbow, gooseflesh forming over brown skin. “I’ll lead the way, Commander.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story! I haven't written in years, and I'm open to kind and constructive criticism :) or just hearing what you like about this.
> 
> More chapters to come!


	2. The Thrill of It All - 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Signing trade accords can be difficult when the company is so distracting. Arinnia and Adaryc spend an evening in Caed Nua's library looking over the final terms of their agreement.

“Of course we can provide them with that level of produce throughout the year, but I don’t have the clearance for it. I’ll have to take that to the Council.” Adaryc shuffled through pages of signed documents, trying to find the one with his trade limits. His eyes flickered from the parchment to the elf sitting across from him. “Is there no way to sweeten your end of the deal?”

They sat in the low light of Caed Nua’s library, trying to work out a few final details. Most of the discussions this week had flowed smoothly, but food trade with Stalwart was proving tricky. The Readcerans were leaving in the morning. They needed to sign off.

Adaryc sent his advisor to bed when he began nodding, leaving only himself and Arinnia in the library. They had been in close proximity all week long, and Arinnia felt a static charge whenever they shared a room. The edge of her vision held a violet haze, as if souls were waiting just out of view. And her skin seemed to react to even the slightest touch of fabric, the softest breeze.

“My end?” Arinnia guffawed, sitting up in her chair. “I can’t promise to make them pump out more steel without keeping the workers fed! Let’s see…” She held a quill to her lips. Adaryc watched the feather sweep across her skin. A flash of heat rose to her cheeks in response to his obvious gaze. Contemplating a counter offer -- and trying to maintain a fraction of professionalism -- Arinnia cleared her throat, sat back. “What if Stalwart accepts Readceran smithing apprentices on a yearly basis? An education at the White Forge to take back to their homeland, how does that sound?”

Adaryc chanced a glance back to her lips before meeting her eyes. “That’s something I can take back. That is, if I have the promise of their safety from the village’s mayor. Tension still runs high along the border.”

Arinnia lifted one corner of her lips. “You have my word. No harm will come to them from the citizens of Stalwart. I can’t make promises for wilder and forge spirits, though.”

The Commander breathed a soft laugh, a rare thing. His eyes scanned Arinnia’s face, down to her chest, covered by a cotton tunic. “One final condition.” His eyes locked onto hers.

Shifting under his relentless survey, she gulped, the sound heavy in her own ears. “What’s that?”

“Kiss me.” The words were quiet, a soft request. Adaryc leaned over the table, his frame shadowing the wood. Arinnia’s breath caught in her throat; the small gasp made Adaryc smile. “I can't spend one more gods-damned night in this place without having kissed you, My Lady. There's something-”

A hundred things ran through Arinnia's mind at once. Her family's isolationist way of life. How disappointed they would be in her renewed status as a noble. Her past lovers, just memories now, but fond ones. Meeting Adaryc in the Iron Flail camp, his fevered rage and his justified fear. Her soul’s anguished search for Thaos, to avenge a lover betrayed. And Aloth, her friend. She had hoped for so much more with him, and now she didn't know if he was dead or alive. Most of all, she thought of how she had lost her sense of adventure. She deserved even just a bit of excitement.

So she nodded, eagerness alight in her golden eyes like the candlelight between them. “Alright. Yes, there's-”

Before she could finish her words, Adaryc had already left his seat and crossed to the other side of the table, kneeling next to her. His calloused hands cupped her face. They paused, feeling warm breath on skin, letting their noses graze. A week of anticipation was coming to a head.

Arinnia closed the final, miniscule gap between their lips, letting her hand come to rest on his forearm. His rough lips moved gently over the full shape of her own, as if he couldn't touch her softly enough. The lightness spurred Arinnia. When was the last time she had felt the intimate touch of another? 

Her other hand snaked up into Adaryc's loosely styled hair, pulling him closer as she parted her lips. With only a slight hesitation, he slid his tongue over hers. He was sweetly smoky, like herbs burning in Edér's pipe. They teased back and forth, until both erupted into grins and quiet laughter.

With the same light as air touch, his hand moved from her cheek to the length of her neck. He pressed their lips together once more before standing and leaning onto the table.

The air still pulsed between them, the glowing violet fog spreading to more of her vision. Arinnia couldn't believe how easy it had been to kiss him, to let him into her personal space.

“I've thought about that for a long while,” the man’s words still echoed his amusement. 

“Well,” Arinnia cleared her throat once more, but couldn’t hide her smile as she rearranged the papers they had neglected. “Shall we sign these now that your curiosity has been satisfied?” She placed the final terms on the top of the stack and passed them to the Readceran.

Adaryc picked up the quill Arinnia had brushed against her lips moments before and signed his name at the bottom of the sheet. “Are we finished with these? There’s a bottle of brandy over there that needs our attention.”

With a nod of acquiescence, Arinnia signed below his name. Adaryc plucked the aged bottle of Aedrye brandy off the side table just feet away, poured two glasses, and rejoined his company. “Where were we, sweet girl?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Library smooches! This was fun to write, short and sweet. Hope you like it :)


	3. The Thrill of It All - 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Watchers discuss the previous night and say goodbye.

The room was too warm, even for Late Summer. Sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of the window and -- shit, she forgot to open it last night. A breeze couldn’t get in. Head pounding, Arinnia threw back the blanket to open it, but two things surprised her. First, she was bare chested. Second, her arm hit something solid behind her. The Watcher swung around to find the source: Adaryc was here, in her bed, down to his knickers.

Arinnia’s golden eyes flew open and she remembered what had transpired the night before. She clutched the blanket back up to her neck. A kiss in the library, followed by copious amounts of fine brandy. An offer to see her across the grounds, and an invitation to come inside. Many, many kisses and caresses in her room. But her underclothes were still safely in place down below, much to her relief, though her curls had expanded into a tangle of frizz from his hands delving into them.

The elf took the opportunity to inspect the shape of the man in her bed -- no doubt, she had gotten familiar with it in the dark. Freckles, a trait the shared, peppered his olive skin. Adaryc’s hair-covered chest and muscular frame gave him an imposing look. But sleeping, his face held no intensity. He looked untroubled. Arinnia dared to brush an out of place strand away from his sweat-dampened forehead.

The Commander stirred beneath her touch and revealed a sliver of a green iris. “Arinnia,” her name was a languished whisper. Any other woman would have swooned, but Arinnia felt nothing more than a mild fondness. Adaryc was her friend, and a handsome friend, but this was nothing more than a bit of fun.

“Last night got away from us, hm?” The words sounded gentle in her raspy voice, but she had to make him realize this… whatever situation this was needed to remain professional.

“Indeed. I'm sorry if I've overstepped.” Though he sounded sleepy, Adaryc’s expression didn’t hide his amusement

“Not at all.” The elf reflected satiated visage. “But you must know this can't happen again.”

“Yes, I know.” His smile faded, but Adaryc still seemed good-natured. He rolled to face her, eyes roamed over her face, neck, and lingered on the hand holding the quilt against her. “But ever since you shoved a pistol in my face on that mountain, I've wondered about you.” Mischief clouded his eyes. Arinnia clutched the blanket tighter to her chest.

“And?”

“And I wasn’t let down.”  
He resembled an animal about to strike, as if he was considering what might happen if he made another move. Her breathing quickened. She couldn’t decide if she wanted him to or not. It would be better if he didn’t, but gods, the previous night was wonderful. After what felt like a millenia, he climbed out of the bed and dressed. She watched the tug of the muscles in his back before his wrinkled shirt covered them.

The Readceran Watcher faced her, looking no more unkempt than usual. “I hope we'll still be friends?” Arinnia nodded. Yes. Friends. She was good at being friends. “Good. If the terms we settled on prove beneficial, I'm sure I'll see you again soon.”

A smirk lifted Arinnia's lips. “Please don't mention how I bargained for the extra produce. The Dyrwood might expect me to use that tactic every time we trade in the future.”

“I won't mention it. At least not in writing.” He opened the door enough to peek through, voice rumbling with laughter. The morning bustle of kith carried through the halls of Brighthollow into Arinnia’s bedroom. The location of Arinnia’s room at the top of the stairs was proving inconvenient. Adaryc poked his head out to see if anyone paid attention. Someone passed down the stairs right outside the door and Adaryc jerked his head back in, grinning with satisfaction.

Arinnia watched from her bed, the hilarity of the situation made her face brighten. “Don’t wait on account of my modesty. I’m sure everyone around here think’s I could use a good lay.”

He took another chance at leaving, but rushed back in once more. He glanced back to her, a quip ready on his lips, but Arinnia had dropped the blanket from her chest. He stood in silence, mouth agape. She leaned back on her arms, letting him take in the sight. “Just friends, right, Adaryc?”

His brows furrowed when he realized she was teasing him. Adaryc bit his lip and hummed his disappointment at having to go. “Until next time, Watcher.”

He checked the hallway one last time and darted from the room. Arinnia threw her head back onto her pillow with a weighted lament. No harm had been done, no hearts broken. She reached up to graze her kiss-swollen lips, a pang of guilt twisted her stomach. This had been fun, but at least it was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've come to the end of Part 1- The Thrill of It All! Arinnia isn't usually so shameless, but why not shock a guy with your boobs if you just made out with him all night?  
> You can listen to The Thrill of It All by Sam Smith for my angsty inspiration music. 
> 
> Part 2 will feature the Watchers visiting Stalwart to check in of the first Readceran apprentices at the White Forge.


End file.
